Step 1

Add the salt to the water and set aside.

Step 2

Sift the flour into a large bowl or flat surface. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolk and softened butter. Using a fork, combine the flour with the egg yolk and butter.

Step 3

Add the salted water and continue to mix until it starts to pull away from the sides and stick together. Then switch from fork to hands and knead (in the bowl or lightly floured surface) until the pastry is elastic, about 4-5 minutes. Let stand for 1 hour, covered with a cloth or plastic wrap. If longer than an hour, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Step 4

Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the scallions. Chop the cilantro.

Step 5

Make the ground beef filling by first preheating a medium-large pan on high heat. Add 1 teaspoon Olive Oil, then the ground beef. Break up the beef and add the minced cloves garlic, sliced scallions, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool in the fridge.

Step 6

Roll the dough out using a pasta roller machine or attachment (see notes for rolling by hand): If the dough has been in the refrigerator, then bring it out to room temperature. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts and let it rest for 20-40 minutes to make it easier to roll.

Step 7

Start with one section of the dough and flatten it with your hands to about ¼ to ½ inch thick so that you can fit it into the pasta roller. Flour both sides of the dough before inserting it into the pasta roller. Start with the thickest setting, slowly working your way to the thinnest setting. You should end up with a long and very thin wide strip that you will use to cut into the pastel rectangles. If the sheet breaks, simply patch it back up together.

Step 8

Cut into large squares that are between 5-6 inches x 5-6 inches. This should be about the width of the sheet of dough, so that you are simply cutting 5-6 inch sections along the length of the sheet. I can usually get 4-5 squares per sheet (4 sheets = total of 16-20 pasteis).

Step 9

Take the cooled beef filling and add a heaping tablespoon or so to the pastel dough, just to the left of the center of each square so that you can fold over the right side, making pastel rectangles.

Step 10

Using your fingers, moisten the edges of three left edges of dough with water. Carefully fold over the right side keeping the filling inside away from the edge so that you get dough on dough to seal. Push down to seal with fingers. Then use fork tines dipped into the cold water to crimp around the edge.

Step 11

Place on a sheet pan or floured surface until ready to fry. Now, either fry them (see below) or place the sheet pan in the freezer and then transfer the pasteis to a storage container after frozen.

Step 12

Heat a large, deep pot of vegetable oil to 360 F to 375 F degrees. Add 1-2 pastels at a time, lowering each carefully into the hot oil and frying for about 15 to 20 seconds until golden brown. Then place the Pastel on paper towel to absorb the excess oil.